Shade followed Merlin like a silent second shadow all the way back toward the academy's southern courtyard, drifting just behind his shoulder as if tethered by invisible thread. Every time Merlin slowed, it slowed. Every time he paused, it paused. Every time he clenched his jaw even slightly—it dimmed, reacting to the smallest shift in his mood.
He hated how natural it already felt.
They reached the courtyard steps at the same time a first-year sprinted by, caught sight of Shade, screamed, tripped, rolled, and kept screaming even while rolling.
Nathan stared after him. "Perfect. This is going beautifully."
"Shade didn't do anything," Merlin muttered.
"Shade exists," Nathan shot back. "That's enough."
Dorian flicked his fingers, snuffing out the shadows around them before they had the chance to distort. "You need to tell the faculty something," he said calmly. "Or the rumors will spread faster than the truth."
